Deal with the Devil
by New Guy the First
Summary: Sequel to The Rise of Power After two years, the villains plan to spread their power. Sonic and his friends are ready to fight back, but they find something on the enemies' side, that they never would have expected.
1. Prologue

**Deal With the Devil**

Two years ago, a villain named Kaitan took over the Sol Kingdom. Ex-bountyhunter, he used Metal Sonic to steal the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds.With his new power, he gave Dr. Robotnik the offer of aiding him, and building him a robotic army, while he would destroy Sonic and his friends. Kaitan almost had his way, but at the last moment, they escaped to the other dimension. Kaitan would have caught them, if it hadn't been for the brave actions of a certain chameleon.

Over those two years, Kaitan raised up a military of powerful combat droids, and freelance fighters. He had succeeded in taking full control over the whole planet, and Robotnik helped him build an unstoppable fortress, from which to rule. Kaitan took all the time he had been given, and used it to build his army stronger and stronger... until it was finally ready... ready to conquer the world that has sat in the dark for all this time. However, the heroes of the other world knew that this time would come. They too, gathered up as many freedom fighters as they could, to prepare an admirable defense against Kaitan and his army. with the technology they knew, they were also able to build fighting droids, and set up bases. What was once Mobius, was now completely changed. Every corner, transformed into some type of militaristic base or weapon.

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The all powerful being, who was cunning enough to capture an entire kingdom and planet, sat upon a large thrown. He remained the same, except for a purple cape hung from his back, to symbolize his new found royalty. Just then, a being walked into the thrown room, and approached the thrown. He was clad in light-weight armor, and wore a black mask upon his face. He stood only a little more than three feet tall, and had a long coiling tail.

"You have called for me, my lord?" the warrior bent down on one knee.

Kaitan stood up, "Yes. It is time, Espio."


	2. First Contact

**I know what some of you might be thinking.. Or you didn't notice, "Holy crap, 4 years later he decides to continue the story!"**

**Well after some events in my life, I have more free time now... a lot more. I got into reading fan fics again, and Came back to look at my account for old time's sake. After some encouraging from my close friend, and realizing I had a reader who just RECENT****LY read my story(lady of the wilds), I decided to continue the story. I hope you readers enjoy it, and Sorry If I made too many mistakes. Do tell me if you notice something terribly incorrect.**

**So sorry to those I've kept hanging.  
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After two years of preparation, it's no surprise that Sonic and his friends have long since left their old homes, and said goodbye to cherished memories. Over time, priorities change and new goals are arranged. Most organizations needed to be funded, by a government of sorts. Mobius stood united to keep themselves safe from a common threat. A common threat that always loomed in the minds of our heroes. The threat was real, but no one knew when the the final step would be taken. All they could do was prepare. Prepare for the first bloodshed of the new World War.

Miles Prower was now regarded as one of the most invaluable technicians/engineers for the freedom fighters. He worked diligently on instruments that would keep his people safe in times of need, but more importantly, gadgets that would keep his _friends_ safe. Sonic, Shadow, Knuckles and Blaze became the trump cards of the freedom fighters. Without them, evil would surely conquer this world. And they also happened to be some of his closest friends. He did what he could to improve their abilities.

Various computer screens decorated the walls of this large room. Walls, which were constructed of concrete and topped by a metallic ceiling. The area resembled a large basement, which was fitting, as it likely was below ground level. Various tools were scattered across a large work bench where the fox did his tinkering. When he worked he appeared to be in a world of his own, tuning out all that went on around him. He set down a miniature screw driver, and rotated the item around in his grip, examining various sides and angles.

Finally, the fox joyfully turned on his swivel chair to face a familiar pink hedgehog who stood behind him and had been watching curiously over his shoulder for some time, now. She wore a red dress, and large red boots.

"I made this one for Knuckles." He said, "I was thinking he could wear it on his fists, like gloves, and then if he punches anything hard enough, it will activated a spark in the gloves." He momentarily paused, peering through a chamber on the instrument, as if he spotted something important, but then continued. "Then, a burst of flames will erupt on the receiving side of the hit."

The pink hedgehog eyed the piece of work for a few seconds, and thought about what the fox had said. "It won't hurt Knuckles?" She asked, clearly concerned about the object's destructive power.

The fox explained, "Definitely not, I designed it so the glove itself is heat proof. I also designed protection for his arms, so the resulting combustion doesn't reach him. My plan now is to design face protection, and then I can up the power on these gloves... Knuckles used to be able to smash boulders, but if this works correctly, he'll be blowing up Eggman's robots with single punches!" Tails was clearly proud of his work. "I'd like to get started on the next piece now, but..." He looked to a digital clock on his work bench. "It's really late!"

His cohort, nodded. "Well I wish I could have been more help, Tails. You're a huge help to us..."

Tails smiled and rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously. "Well Amy, it's okay. If things go well, not everyone will have to fight... and that's something to be happy about." He hopped off his seat, and removed his dirty gloves replacing them with newer, clean ones.

"So I guess you're going home now?" The fox asked.

"Yeah. I should probably get some sleep." She turned to the room's exit and began walking away, "Good night, Tails!"

"I don't think Sonic would like you walking around in the middle of the night alone. Maybe I should come with you?"

Amy laughed a bit, at the fox's friendly concern as she turned to face him once more. "It's okay Tails, I can take care of myself. Besides, we have worse things to worry about." She continued towards the exit once more, this time picking up the pace. "Now, I'll see you tomorrow!"

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A few floors later, Amy exited the elevator. This lab was the basement of a relatively plain looking building. Though that was likely to not give away it's true purpose. She passed a couple security guards, who knew her face, and so they nodded as she left for the night. They were likely in it for the long night, as one of them sat behind a desk, with their feet up and looking relaxed.

She finally exited the building into a relatively built up metropolis when she realized it was a bit colder than she had anticipated, and shuddered. She decided not to dawdle, and upon passing by a familiar alley, considered taking it as a short cut to get home quickly to the warmth. She peered down the alley for a few seconds, making sure it was clear of any potential crazy people and then hurried through. It wasn't until about half way through she heard a small crash among some garbage pales placed next to the wall to her right. She yelped and jumped to her left, giving the bin a glance, realizing it was only a feral raccoon (not of the sentient kind) dashing away at her sudden presence.

Amy berated herself for being such a scaredy cat, and continued on her way home, making out of the alley safely 'Nothing to worry about!' She told herself. She reached her house and happily pulled out her keys to unlock the door. Upon entering, she turned the foyer lights on, and finally felt able to relax. She walked upstairs to her bedroom, as she was too tired to do anything else, but when reaching the top of the stairs, she heard a voice and froze in her tracks.

"I'm sorry." The voice said, as she tried to register the current situation, but was interrupted by a sharp pain in the side of her neck. She reached for it and felt a foreign protrusion, yanking it out, she realized it was a dart... poison? Her first inclination was to scream, but felt a heavy force hit the ground behind her, and before she could react, and hand was placed over her mouth.

"It's not going to hurt you." The voice said... and a vaguely familiar voice it was. Even if she could turn to face this adversary, it would be too dark to see, and she did not have the time to ponder the possibilities. Her current focus was surviving. She tried to struggle for freedom, but she began to feel weak. and started to lose her balance. The figure gently set her on the ground, and then released her. Before her vision faded to blackness, She heard one last solemn line from her assailant.

"Your friends will soon join you."


	3. Face to Face

**A/N: Hello. So I know my chapters are fairly short, I aim for just over 1000 words per chapter, which isn't a lot. It makes it easier to make a constant stream of updates.**

**Personally, I don't think this is a big deal, but I maybe put in a few too many "dramatic cliffhangers" then are necessary. If anyone cares, tell me what you'd prefer: longer and and less occurring chapters, or more frequent shorter ones? It'll just effect how many pauses there will be in the story. Sometimes I feel like I just wanna get the next part out, but if the story would be better with less breaks in the story, than I'm all for longer chapters.  
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Finding his targets proved to be slightly more difficult than he anticipated. He was lucky this house appeared abandoned, as it was the perfect place for the job. He himself wasn't sure how far he would go to get the job done. He always believed there was another way... At least that's what he used to believe.

He kept the lights off, and watched from the top floor across the street. It was a house he was watching. A house where not two days ago he incapacitated an innocent girl and kidnapped her. But she was safe from harm for now, and that much kept his conscious clean. One might ask why he was still here. Surely his business was done in this area. And that would be true, if he had any leads. But he did not.

Sooner or later, someone would come looking for her. And there was a good chance it would be someone who knows her. His preference was to work during the night, where it was harder to be spotted, but he didn't believe her mistake would be repeated. His patience would be rewarded however, as someone finally approached the door. It was a relatively bulky figure, and as predicted, was recognizable.

"Vector..." he whispered under his breath. Generally not a habit of his to speak to himself, due to the value of silence, but a large mix of feeligns overwhelmed him at the sight of his old friend. He wanted to make sure he was safe. So he was glad he could find him so soon. What conflicted these feelings was the amount of guilt he felt knowing how betrayed a life long friend would feel at learning the truth of what he had become.

He decided the best way to approach this situation. Since it was not dark out, he decided his dark fabrics would provide limited use in concealing his presence. He removed the light weight gear, opting for his tried and true camouflage to give him whatever stealth which was required. After witnessing his old friend enter the home of his last victim, he made his way across the street, in a casual manner. He knew if worse came to worse, and he was spotted, he would still have the element of surprise on his side. No one would immediately realize that he was working for the enemy.

He made his way to the back of the house. He left a window open on the top floor of the 2 story building, and so he began scaling the nearby wall of the house. He peered into the window at what looked like a storage room, as the pigment on his skin shifted and changed colour to blend him in with the background. He watched through the window for a moment, making sure he didn't enter at an inopportune time. Upon entering, he slid to a nearby wall, and reached behind him for some pieces of equipment strapped to his body. Darts filled with a toxin that would incapacitate his foes, just as he'd used before. Though he realized the thick hide on his new target would make these weapons ineffective unless he could physically stab the crocodile with one.

Listening for the sounds of shuffling feet, he contemplated the possibility of a face to face confrontation. To incapacitate his foe, he would need to get in close, and there was too much light to remain hidden. A new idea entered his head: wait until Vector leaves, and follow him to the agency's new location. But what if it was impregnable? No... It didn't matter. The more he thought, the more he wanted to risk the confrontation. Maybe he could convince his friend to come peacefully? Perhaps someone would understand his motives? He was snapped out of his thought upon hearing heavy footsteps climb the stairs. He considered losing his focus an amateur mistake, but regardless, he decided what he wanted to do. If there was ever a reason to risk his mission, this was it.

The steps came closer to the entrance of the room he resided in. He took a deep breathe, let the pigment in his skin relax returning it to it's usual magenta, and removed his back from the wall. Sure enough, a familiar face appeared in the frame of the door looking directly at him. Vector paused and let his mouth hang open for a few seconds.

"Espio?" He spoke with bewilderment. "Is that really you?"

Espio crossed his arms and nodded, "Yes, Vector... and I know what happened here."

Espio anticipated a bombardment of questions, but none came. His old friend simply stood still, watching Espio wide-eyed. Too dumbfounded to ask any of the hundred questions that now plagued his mind.

Espio eased his confusion, "I am the one who is behind Amy's Disappearance...However, it was for her own good."

A suspicious look now adorned Vector's face, "Whadduya' mean, Espio?"

"She was in danger. You all are. I removed her from harm, and now she is safe." He spoke softly, now averting his gaze downwards and closing his eyes. Vector was getting closer to the truth. The closer he came, the more dangerous this was for Espio's mission.

A sense of urgency began to flood Vector's mind. "What kinda' danger? ... Why didn't we hear from ya? Why didn't she say she was leavin'?"

Espio didn't answer for a few seconds because he was busy thinking. He realized this could be his big chance. Become close to his old friends once again, earn their trust, and strike at their weakest point. He could get Sonic out of the way... or Shadow! He knew those two would be a challenge.

The mission comes first.

But not this time. He would take the chance, even if the odds were against him.

Espio opened his eyes and challenged Vector's gaze once more. "The truth is, Vector... I've earned the enemy's trust. They are coming soon. To annihilate anyone who opposes them. Everyone in this world is going to die, Vector!... I'm trying to save those who are worth saving."

He waited for a response.

"Espio... Whadaya sayin'? Ya don't think we can win?" The crocodile began to understand.

"You weren't there, Vector. I fought him two years ago. I fought him with Sonic. With Shadow. I believed we could win. He toyed with us, Vector. We were no match for him. After 2 years you have all been doing what? Preparing?... do you think he's not doing the same?"

Vector felt a rage building inside of him. Was this the really the same friend he once thought of as his greatest teammate? His most wise companion? And dare he even think it... his best friend? The thoughts began to hurt him, until he snapped at his new enemy, "Did Sonic lose hope? Did Shadow lose hope? Did Knuckles, or Blaze lose hope? I may not have been there, Espio, but everyone else seems to have the idea that we shouldn't just give up even after losing you! So why should you?"

Espio began to see his fear would come true. No one would listen to him. He was alone in this.

"They believe in a false hope, Vector. They don't understand compromise. They are foolishly waiting for death!"

Espio took a fighting stance, one foot in front, one behind, hands at the ready. "I'm going to save you, Vector. Save you from death. Whether you like it or not!"

Vector clenched his fists, "I would rather die then live half a life!" His last words before rage enveloped him. He charged at the one he once called a friend, prepared to give this new enemy everything he had.


End file.
